1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of electromechanical changers for compact digital read only memory (CD-ROM) disks, rewritable disks, and the like, stored in multiple-disk magazines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Previously, software and data for computers were delivered by floppy disks, and the software and data were transferred to a fixed (i.e., "hard") disk drive for rapid access to programs and data. In order to have access to a large number of different programs and large quantities of data associated with the programs, it was necessary to have a large hard drive. Regardless of the size of the chosen hard drive, many users found that the hard drive rapidly became full as the number of programs and the quantity of data increased.
Recently, a significant portion of software and data for computers have been delivered and stored on compact digital read only memory (CD-ROM) disks. The software and data can be transferred to a hard drive as before, or the software and data can be accessed on an as-needed basis from the CD-ROM disks. Often, a combination of accesses are used, wherein a frequently used executable portion of the software is stored on the hard drive and less-frequently accessed programs and data are accessed as needed directly from the CD-ROM disks.
Because of the current proliferation of software and data on CD-ROM disks, a typical user now finds that the user has a large number of software titles on multiple CD-ROM disks. Furthermore, databases comprising very large quantities of data may be published on large numbers of disks, such as, for example, the disks which encompass the images and text of issued patents, or the disks which encompass the West Publishing Federal Reporters, or the like. In order to make such extensive databases readily available to the user, it is necessary to install the CD-ROM disks on a multiple disk changer, also referred to as a CD jukebox. CD jukeboxes are known to the art, but they generally have been quite expensive, and are not readily adaptable to a database which exceeds the storage capability of the jukebox. In particular, when the number of CD-ROM disks exceeds the storage capacity (for example, 100 or 150 disks) of the jukebox, the user must then keep track of which disks are installed in the jukebox at any given time, and must swap the disks in and out of the jukebox as required. Furthermore, known CD-ROM jukeboxes use CD-ROM disk drives which are specially adapted to the jukebox. Thus, the drives are expensive compared to conventional CD-ROM disk drives which are sold in large quantities in a highly competitive market.
Thus, a need exists for an economical CD-ROM changer or jukebox which enables a user to keep track of the CD-ROM disks in the jukebox and which enables a user to quickly and easily swap disks in and out of the jukebox without having to handle individual disks each time. Further, there is a need for a CD-ROM jukebox which uses conventional commercially available CD-ROM disk drives which are economical to purchase and which are readily interchangeable in the event of drive failure or in the event that drives with increase performance are desired.
Although described herein with respect to CD-ROM disks, it should be understood that the present invention is equally applicable to rewritable optical storage disks, video disks, and the like.